January 27, 2021 – To facilitate the operations of local family farms, which have faced numerous challenges due to the coronavirus crisis, local products are just one click away on the e-marketplace of Sveta Nedelja.

When the first lockdown started in the spring of last year, many were forced to turn to online solutions in their businesses, but due to the emergence of the novel coronavirus, to also consider the importance of a healthy diet for overall health. We had witnessed the forced rise of technology use, while online delivery services and online sales of food and other necessities have flourished.

The City of Sveta Nedelja adapted to the situation turning to online solutions for the benefit of many local family producers, but also their citizens. Namely, in April last year, Sveta Nedelja launched an online market project within the city to provide family farms and citizens with a common platform for selling and buying fresh groceries and homemade products.

„For our fellow citizens and for our family farms, we have introduced an e-marketplace system, an online store boasting domestic products, thus enabling the direct purchase of fresh and healthy ingredients and products,“ said Dario Zurovec, the Mayor of Sveta Nedelja, in a recent interview with TCN.

Organic essential oils, immortelle hydrates, soaps, balms, and more

Fruits, vegetables, cereals, pumpkin seeds, oil, liqueurs, jams, cheese, are just a part of the offer at the e-marketplace of Sveta Nedelja. Using the e-marketplace is very easy. In just a few clicks, customers can search for the groceries they need, then find a family farm that they like because of price or quality. Also, each local family farm has its own profile which shows its products, contact information, OIB, and information on delivery to the doorstep.

For easier navigation, the online offer is divided into categories according to the type of food (fruits, vegetables, dairy products, beverages...).

In addition to the listed products, on the e-marketplace of Sveta Nedelja, you can find various types of vinegar, pumpkin oil, barley porridge, lavender hydrates, organic essential oils, soaps, balms, and even souvenirs at prices equal to or even lower than those on the city market.

"We want to enable our fellow citizens to buy healthy and fresh products as easily as possible on the e-marketplace, but also to make it easier for our family farms to sell in a situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic," they say in Sveta Nedelja.

While people and organizations from many parts of Croatia launched online markets on Facebook groups and other social networks on their own initiative, the City of Sveta Nedelja is one of the first cities in Croatia to provide its citizens with an online platform to sell and purchase products from local family farms. Apart from Sveta Nedelja, this way of administrative assistance to local family farms was also provided by Istria County, Zagreb, Poreč, Čakovec, Velika Gorica, Rovinj, and many other Croatian cities.

January 22,  2021 - Looking for a local administration and business success story in Croatia? Mayor Dario Zurovec explains why Sveta Nedelja is the place to be. 

There are thousands of articles online complaining about the terrible state of Croatian bureaucracy, but no so many celebrating the success stories. And there are few places which do bureaucracy, transparency and a positive agenda for Croatia 2.0 better than the town of Sveta Nedelja, just outside Zagreb. It was a real pleasure meeting Dario Zurovec and Davor Nadji, Mayor and (then) Deputy Mayor of Sveta Nedelja. They initiated quite a revolution in their first term of office, and Dario Zurovec kindly found time for an extended interview to tell us more about the success stories inside a small Croatian town which has been voted the best medium-sized town for the economy for the last few years, as well as in the top five places in Croatia for quality of life.  

(Photo credit Grad Sveta Nedelja)

1. A population increase of 10% since 2011, 20% more jobs since you took over in 2017, unemployment at just 3.9%. These are sensationalist numbers in the current economic climate in Croatia. Congratulations! What is the secret?

We have shown that steps can be taken at the local level to create a good entrepreneurial climate and attracting investors which contributes to the development of our community. We invest intensively in the development of the economy. One of the resources we boast are our entrepreneurial zones in which many successful enterprises are located.

We have abolished and reduced certain fees, which represents significantly higher savings for enterprise owners, and we co-finance interest placed on entrepreneurial loans for investments up to a total of 6%. Additional plants are being constructed which expands the business, thus creating new jobs. The progress as a result of the aforementioned is visible in regard to many indicators, such as the growth of the number of companies, the fall in the unemployment rate, and the growth of income and average net wages.

I believe that it is necessary to encourage the growth and development of entrepreneurship, continuously create and strengthen the foundations for business operations and provide more tax and other reliefs.

2. Sveta Nedelja was named the best medium-sized town for the economy for the third year in a row last year. Tell us more about that, and what are you doing differently?

For the third year in a row, we have won the title of the best city for the economy in the medium cities category, and I see this as an indicator of our shared success and desire for excellence. I am proud of the results we have achieved, and a special thanks goes out to our enterprise and craft owners, who are working diligently and responsibly and developing their businesses, thus contributing to the wider community.

3. Sveta Nedelja was also named in the top five towns for quality of life, which might surprise people. Why is it such a good place to live?

The combination of a safe family environment, a high quality of life and idyllic nature make Sveta Nedelja an excellent place for family life. High economic development, entrepreneurial zones and natural beauty are just some of the recognisable things that make Sveta Nedelja attractive and pleasant to live in, as well as for doing smart business.

We abolished surtax, which amounted to 6%, and reduced utility/communal fees in the range of 2% to 30% for most of our fellow citizens. We follow children from birth to the end of their schooling, and we also raised our allowance for newborns, we provide co-financing for pre-school education, scholarships for students, co-finance transportation and offer scholarships for the best among them, and we continuously carry out large infrastructure projects that contribute to a higher quality and standard of living.

(Living and working in Croatia - fabulous snapshot through the eyes of Rimac staff in Sveta Nedelja)

4. Sveta Nedelja is perhaps best known internationally as the home of Rimac Automobili. How important is the Rimac factor in attracting other businesses to the town?

Numerous successful companies are located in our entrepreneurial zones, but certainly one of the most famous is Rimac Automobili. Relatively young, but by far the most successful company. Sveta Nedelja is certainly known all over the world precisely because of Rimac’s company, and with that creativity and knowledge, it further encourages many young entrepreneurs in terms of their further growth and development.

5. Let's talk public administration. You have become a beacon of transparency and progress, even introduced cryptocurrency payments, slashed local taxes and increased revenues to the town budget. Summarise it all for us.

The service of processing cryptocurrency when paying for public services to the City of Sveta Nedelja means the conversion of cryptocurrency into HRK according to the valid exchange rate at the time of service execution, and this is performed via cryptocurrency payment processing platforms. In our city, there are companies that use cryptocurrencies, like Greyp Bikes, which also belongs to Mate Rimac.

Sveta Nedelja has become the most transparent city and a leader in the Republic of Croatia in terms of innovation solutions for access to information and quality communication with fellow citizens.

We were the first in the Republic of Croatia to introduce employee appraisal by the citizens themselves and have their salaries and rewards align with those very appraisals whereby we are actually introducing a fixed and a variable part of their income. We were the first in the Republic of Croatia to introduce public announcement for all contracts, purchase orders and invoices in order to see the documents to which the invoices are linked, and such a system was also introduced in the city’s kindergarten and the fire and sports board(s) of the city.

Respecting the basic principles of public procurement and legal, purposeful spending of budget funds, we have a certificate called "Transparent Public Procurement".

We are also pioneers in the introduction of electromagnetic field monitoring systems in cooperation with the Končar Institute. This regards the amount of radiation that is ranked in relation to legal regulations and is made visible so that their levels and the locations where they are located can be seen.

We also were the first to introduce an advisory e-referendum in our country, so that citizens and entrepreneurs alike can be involved in important decision-making processes. We have also introduced the Geographic Information Centre, a system in which all information related to urban and spatial plans of the city of Sveta Nedelja and detailed information related to the communal infrastructure can be seen. The entire GIS system is unique in Croatia. Through this system, everyone can have access to even the smallest details of the entire city system: the transparency of spatial plans, water supply networks, land, forests and infrastructure. 

Through the choice of location within the map, any type of utility problem can be reported. The free mobile app Popravimo.hr is also available which reports the problem anonymously and through the means of photography. For our fellow citizens and for our family farms, we have introduced an e-marketplace system, an online store boasting domestic products, thus enabling the direct purchase of fresh and healthy ingredients and produce.

6. Lower taxes, higher revenues, more jobs, rising population. It all sounds perfect. Are other local administrations following your example, and what is stopping them if not?

Some local governments are following our example, but most still do not want to make such a big step forward, but they will soon have to because of the law that will come into force.

7. One more recent initiative you introduced to the town late last year was free buses for the town, connecting up to the Zagreb network. Tell us more.

I’m extremely happy that we have provided the citizens of Sveta Nedelja with new city transport, and that very transport will soon begin to operate. Public transport will be completely free. Three lines have been proposed but are subject to change. Better connectivity within the general area will be ensured, as will that which will take passengers to the City of Zagreb. If there is a need for changes in timetables on the lines that will operate, we will accept and realise them in agreement with the carrier.

8. You are not from the two big parties, SDP or HDZ. How does that affect your ability to get things done?

At the local level, I often face a number of challenges, most often due to political opposition. I think that with my work over these three and a half years, I’ve shown how things can change for the better, when you really want that and you choose to work exclusively for the benefit of all your fellow citizens.

9. What's next for Dario Zurovec. You have built a very solid platform in Sveta Nedelja. Is it time to take the revolutions of transparency and sensible governing to a bigger stage?

Of course, I will always encourage the further growth and development of the city.

10. And finally, what is your message to anyone contemplating Sveta Nedelja as a place to live or move their business to?

Sveta Nedelja is certainly a city for smart business and a comfortable life.

The combination of a safe family environment, high quality of life and idyllic nature make Sveta Nedelja an excellent place for family life. Because of its positive policy towards entrepreneurship, which includes zero surtax and consumption tax rates, the abolition and reduction of levies as well as location and transport connections, we’re an ideal city for investment and entrepreneurship.

For the latest news from Dario Zurovec and Sveta Nedelja, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

December 15, 2020 – As indicated by figures on migration and population growth, Sveta Nedelja is becoming increasingly attractive destination where more and more people want to move in. Recently voted one of the five best Croatian towns for quality of life, Sveta Nedelja offers its citizens excellent living conditions.

As Gradonačelnik.hr reports, based on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, Sveta Nedelja is one of the ten leaders in Croatia in terms of migration balance, which in absolute terms amounts to 228 in 2019, meaning that 228 more people immigrated than emigrated from Sveta Nedelja.

At the same time, Sveta Nedelja is among the leaders in terms of migration balance in relation to the number of inhabitants, which is 1.3 percent. According to the Bureau's estimate, in 2019, compared to 2018, the City had 1.02 percent more inhabitants, i.e., about 188.

Pleasant for both living and smart business

Apart from being among the leaders in terms of the number of immigrants, Sveta Nedelja is the most prominent in its economic strength. It won this title at the recent competition for the best city. Sveta Nedelja was named as the best city in the economy category for the third year in a row and is among the top five best Croatian cities for quality of life.

"The city of Sveta Nedelja is the youngest in Zagreb County. With extremely favorable geo-traffic and geo-strategic position, economically and demographically, it is one of the most stable smaller cities in Croatia. For years, Sveta Nedelja has been recording positive demographic trends. Unlike most Croatian cities, mostly young families who come for work and good living conditions are immigrating. High economic development, entrepreneurial zones, and natural beauties are just some of the recognizability that makes Sveta Nedelja attractive and pleasant for living, but also for smart business," they say in the City, adding that Sveta Nedelja is adorned with cultural, historical, and monumental heritage.

Lake and park Kipišće / Photo: Sveta Nedelja Tourist Board

Intensive work on improvement

Sveta Nedelja carried out the largest tax relief of the local self-government unit in Croatia.

"With the abolition and reduction of fees such as utility contributions for various activities and housing, fees for issuing taxi licenses, and reduction of flat taxes for small renters, the surtax was abolished, which so far amounted to 6 percent, and now is 0 percent. The utility fee has also been reduced for most citizens ranging from 2 percent to 30 percent," said a Sveta Nedelja official.

Sveta Nedelja is also doing intensive work on improving public infrastructure, pedestrian and bicycle paths, construction of capital projects, children's playgrounds, and increasing kindergarten capacities. This year, they introduced free city transport.

Children are the most important

Sveta Nedelja keeps track of its children from birth to the end of schooling, so they raised the amount of benefits for newborns by 1000 kunas, from the previous 2000 to 3000 for the first baby. This ranked them among the cities with higher amounts of benefits for newborns. Besides, they have provided the price of kindergartens up to 550 kunas, while private kindergartens are co-financed with 1000 kunas per month per child.

Photo: the City of Sveta Nedelja

Students who reside in the city area are provided free online preparations for the state graduation exam this year.

They provide scholarships to high school and university students, for which they set aside over half a million kunas a year. They are one of the few cities that still provide cash prizes for their best students. Depending on the prizes won, the amount ranges up to 4,000 kuna, which is also among the highest amounts in the country. Scholarships are awarded based on criteria of excellence, deficient occupation, and socioeconomic status for students.

They subsidize their students by 25 percent of the monthly transport ticket, while the remaining 75 percent are financed by the Government of the Republic of Croatia. It means that primary public transport is entirely free for students, while other forms of transport are financed by 50 percent. They subsidize full-time university students 75 percent of the price of a monthly transportation ticket.

The City recognizes and rewards effort, work, and achieved results, so it awards public recognition and cash prizes for exceptional achievements and the contribution of special importance for the development and reputation of the City.

To follow the Sveta Nedelja story, check out the dedicated TCN section. 

December 3, 2020 - Life just got even better for the citizens of Sveta Nedelja, as Croatia's most progressive administration introduces free bus transport. 

Regular readers may recall that I spent a fabulous weekend in Sveta Nedelja several weeks ago, where the local authorities showed me around the town's tourism and business attractions. Both seem to have the little town just outside Zagreb rather a desirable place to be. Last month, it was voted the best medium-sized town in Croatia for the economy for the third year in a row, as well as being in the top 5 towns for quality of life. An impressive double.

One of the things I remember from a very enjoyable weekend was a question from the then deputy mayor, Davor Nadji.

"Is there anything we could be doing better? Anything you see that is missing in our town?"

It was the type of question I may have expected in a previous life, but since moving to Croatia, I have become used to public officials telling me how great they are and taking credit for everything (much of which has little to do with them). To seek out advice or suggestions from a visiting foreigner? Very rare. 

I promised I would try and come up with something, but it is not that easy when it comes to Sveta Nedelja, for here is a town which is VERY different. And they seem to have thought of everything already. 

In an age of mess emigration, population decline and economic crisis, here is a town where the population has increased 10% since the 2011 census, jobs have increased 20% since 2017, unemployment is at just 3.9%, and there seem to be more kindergartens than anywhere I have seen in the country. Add to that the most transparent administration in Croatia, with local business taxes slashed, and it is hard to find anything to suggest. 

Especially when they deliver on other innovative initiatives, such as free bus transport. As we reported previously, Sveta Nedelja Mayor Dario Zurovec announced the news of Facebook a few weeks ago, also sharing a video test run explaining how the system would work:

Today I signed a contract with the bus carrier Arriva to provide a bus service in the area of ​​the town of Sveta Nedelja. We will announce the exact start date of the traffic soon, after we have just solved a few small formalities. Passengers on local buses will not have to buy tickets. Below you can read how the concept was conceived, and we will inform you about the exact schedules and timetable just before the start of operations.

As part of our free public transport we will introduce 3 lines to Podsused that allow you to connect to trains. In this way, passengers will have more favorable conditions because the ticket will not cost them anything until they change to the train. Additionally, this way you avoid traffic jams on the roads to the center of Zagreb or even the east, and it is possible to travel to Zaprešić. Those who do not like the train will be able to continue their journey on ZET buses:

* from the Podsused roundabout towards the Ljubljanica and Črnomerec

* on the other side of the railway in Podsused (Av. Bologne) towards Črnomerec and Zaprešić

Also, at the other end of one of the bus lines, it will be possible to change to ZET in Kalinovica (on the old road) and from there travel to the Sava Bridge.

As for traveling to Samobor, there is an option to travel to Sveta Nedelja or Strmec by free public transport and then change to Samoborček / Autoturist.

The introduction of free public transport does not mean that existing bus carriers stop running. So, they continue to operate, because their lines are inter-county and county, which is why they are not under our jurisdiction. This means that the same Samoborček / Autoturist lines continue to run at the same prices to Zagreb and Samobor until these carriers decide otherwise.

In the future, we intend to further improve this free public transportation service.

With the current legal framework, this is a big step forward and far better than the model we have had so far. This concept of city transport allows you to get anywhere within the city of Sveta Nedelja without paying a ticket, and to get to Zagreb quickly and for a very low price because you only pay the train or ZET. Also, this will make the trip to Samobor cheaper. In addition to all that, departure times will be frequent throughout the week, but also on weekends and holidays, while night lines will also run on weekends and holidays. The carrier was selected through a public tender, the value of the contract is about 4.2 million kuna per year and is financed entirely from the town budget.

In this way, Sveta Nedelja has once again become an example to other towns in Croatia. In addition to the quality of service to citizens, additional benefits of this kind of public transport are that there will be fewer cars and less traffic jams, fewer traffic accidents, less CO2 emissions, with of course a more favorable situation for your home budgets.

Thanks to all my collaborators and Davor Nadji who worked with us on this project until recently. I am happy that we are fulfilling our promises, and we will not stop there. More good news for our Sveta Nedelja is coming soon!

The new free bus service went into operation on December 1, a nice boost for the local population in these challenging times. 

The service will be free for everyone. 

A timetable has been published on the official town website.

Annual travel passes are being prepared for local residents. The initial routes will undergo an initial 60-day test period, during which times the routes and departure times will be assessed. Any changes thereafter will be communicated well in advance. The authorities are also open to suggestions from the public and have set up a designated email address for this purpose - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sveta Nedelja is a great story which we will be following is more detail over the next 12 months and more, a true example of how things CAN work in Croatia. Here is an overview of the first part of my first visit to Croatia's newest town - read more in Sveta Nedelja Beyond Rimac: Jobs, Innovation, Nature, Population Growth.

You can follow the latest in the Sveta Nedelja revolution in our dedicated TCN section. 

November 26, 2020 - Continuing our tour of Croatia's most successful town for the economy, Sveta Nedelja Beyond Rimac visits 120 years of pharmaceutical excellence at Dechra Genera. 

The electric hypercars and advanced technology of Rimac Automobili may be the most famous show in town in Sveta Nedelja, but it is by no means the oldest. As young entrepreneur Mate Rimac started a company with dreams of creating the fastest electric car in the world a decade ago, a company called Genera, specialising in veterinary and plant products, was celebrating 110 years since its founding. Five years later, its commitment to excellence led to its acquisition by one of its industry's biggest companies, Dechra, and today Dechra Genera is an important global players in the specialist veterinary pharmaceuticals market. 

And talking of size, Dechra Genera is also the biggest company in the town in terms of size. Its sprawling complex comes with its own road signs and eco-friendly electric scooter transport, as experienced by TCN on a tour of the plant a few weeks ago. 

The TCN visit to Dechra Genera was part of a tour of the successful businesses of Croatia's youngest town, located to the south-west of Zagreb, close to the motorway and border with Slovenia. In an age of mass emigration, economic downturn and mass unemployment, here was a town which was doing things rather differently. The population has increased by 10% since the 2011 census, the number of jobs has increased by 20% since 2017, and unemployment is at a remarkably low 3.9%. The progressive local administration is the most transparent in the country, and the town is constantly looking for ways to attract new businesses and to improve the lives of its citizens. The imminent introduction of free buses is one of the latest initiatives, and businesses are benefiting from local surtaxes being abolished. No wonder, perhaps, that in addition to Sveta Nedelja being voted the best medium-sized town for the economy in Croatia three years running, but also in the top 5 for quality of life. 

And while Rimac deservedly attracts the headlines, there is plenty of excellence in Sveta Nedelja in other sectors of the economy, as we are discovering in this mini-series. The Syrian entrepreneur, for example, whose turnover in the medical industry was more than 250 million euro last year, or the Sveta Nedelja business whose systems are keeping many of the world's biggest breweries operating. 

The story of Dechra Genera, whose portfolio centres around animal health products, food supplements in the form of vitamins and minerals and plant protection products, dates back to 1901 and the foundation of the Royal Croatian-Slavonian Bacteriological Institute. From 1940 to 2000, it was part of the giant Croatian pharma company, Pliva, after which it operated as an independent, Veterina. 

As reported by TCN at the time, the company underwent its latest change in October 2015, when a majority stake was sold to one of the biggest companies in the industry, Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC from the UK. On 1 February 2018, Genera became a 100% subsidiary of the Dechra Group and it has subsequently delisted from the Zagreb Stock Exchange.

As TCN wrote at the time: " Dechra was impressed by young professional staff of Genera, the company which built its value and image on the know-how of its employees. Dechra was interested in Genera because it wanted to enter the vaccine market, which is the fastest growing segment of veterinary medicine and with which it will significantly expand its portfolio of pharmaceutical products for animals."

Dechra Genera seems to be delivering on promises of investment into its Croatian operations. A year ago, for example, it opened its solar-powered plant in Sveta Nedelja at a cost of £1.3 million. The facility is now recognised as the largest integrated power plant for own consumption in Croatia, with 5,543 photovoltaic (PV) panels fitted onto existing roof structures across the Genera site. Prior to this, the Genera operation sourced 100% of energy via the main grid. Following the installation, the annualised level of electric power generation is expected to be approximately 1,545,000 kWh and will generate nearly a third of the electric power needed for Dechra’s Croatian manufacturing facility.

The solar-powered plant is expected to reduce the plant's CO2 footprint by approximately 360 tonnes which equates to 4% of Dechra Genera’s total CO2 emissions in 2018. Over the next five years, Dechra Genera will be increasing manufacturing volume and this facility will enable it to do so using efficiently through using a renewable and sustainable energy source.

Energy efficient, and also a safe workplace. Some 575 days since the last accident on the premises during my visit a few weeks ago, according to the welcome board. 

Things have changed a lot since the founding of the foundation of the Royal Croatian-Slavonian Bacteriological Institute in 1901, but things have rarely looked brighter for the company now known as Dechra Genera than at any time in its 119-year history.  A little like Sveta Nedelja in general. 

To learn more about Dechra Genera, visit the official website. 

For the latest coverage from Sveta Nedleja, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

November 22, 2020 - Looking to escape Zagreb for a day? Meet the lakes of Sveta Nedelja, a natural fishing and cycling paradise.

One of the biggest tourism surprises for me this year has been Sveta Nedelja, Croatia's youngest town close to Samobor, and home to the world-famous Rimac Automobili headquarters. 

In my mind, I had always associated the town with progressive local government and a healthy environment for business (Sveta Nedelja has been voted the best medium-sized town for the economy for each of the last three years). About its tourism offer, I knew nothing. 

That all changed a few weeks ago when the then deputy mayor Davor Nadi invited me over for a family weekend to have a look around both at the business environment and the town's tourism. offer. 

And that is how - as previously written - I found myself on a bicycle for only the third time in 25 years. 

Sveta Nedelja has a very well-developed cycling offer, and MTB specialists can explore the hills and forests around the town on MTB trails like the one in the video above. 

But the magic of Sveta Nedelja's tourism offer revolves around its fabulous nature, in particular its numerous lakes. 

As I detailed last time, the information and maps to help cyclists are well-presented, and there are many wonderful lakeside routes where you can explore. 

And for an extra thrill, check out Pumptrack Sveta Nedleja, which is attracting cyclists and skateboarders alike from Zagreb and beyond. 

Take a tour through the eyes of a cyclist negotiating Pumptrack Sveta Nedelja in the video above. 

While cycling is popular, the lakes of Sveta Nedelja are a magnet for another, much more tranquil, sport - fishing. 

Here is a little more detail on the main lakes. 

Lake Oresje 

This lake and the surrounding 39 hectares is managed by the Sloga Oresje sport fishing society, and it poses plenty of freshwater fish challenges for the keen fisherman. the most common varieties to be found are carp, grass carp, pike, pike-perch and catfish. All fish over 5kg must be returned to the lake.

The largest specimens ever caught here were: catfish 104 kg, carp 22 kg, pike 15 kg, pike-perch 11 kg, grass carp 18 kg.

Annual and daily permits are available from the fishing lodge at the lake. Annual permits cost 200 kuna, with daily permits at 60 kuna. Foreign citizens may also purchase permits upon showing proof of a passed fishing exam. More details on the SRD Oresje website.  

And if you can persuade them to open the kitchen, I can highly recommend the local carp - delicious!

Rakitje Lakes 

If you are looking to land a really big catch, however, perhaps you should try your luck at the Rakitje Lakes. For it was here on Finzula Lake back in 2012 that the largest carp ever caught in Croatia was reeled in, weighing an impressive 31.50 kg. The proud fisherman was a member of the local Rak fishing association. Other notable record catches include grass carp 29.5 kg, pike 12.6 kg, pike-perch 9.0 kg, and catfish 74.0 kg. Several international carp competitions are held on the Rakitje lakes each year. 

Annual permits cost 400 kuna and daily permits are 60 kuna. 

Tthe release of carp, pike and pike-perch over 5 kg and grass carp over 7 kg is mandatory. The exception is Lake Jus which has a 'catch and release' policy for all fish, regardless of size.

Looking for a place to stay nearby? Camp Zagreb is right there on the water.  

Lake Strmec

The Strmec fishing zone is situated in the water protection area of the Strmec water supply district, and includes 22 larger and smaller lakes, the Zgorela Precka backwater, the Rakovica stream covering a length of 4.9 km, and the right bank of the Sava River, which extends from the Medsava raft to the Podsused bridge, for a length of 4.6 km. The water levels in the lakes are dependent on the water levels in the river. The Stuka Strmec sports and recreational fishing society manages the Strmec lakes. The lakes are dominated by the freshwater fish species: carp, grass carp and catfish, while the Sava River is dominated by nase, barbel and catfish.

Day and annual permits are avaialble. You can learn more trom the Stuka Strmec website. 

Kerestinec Lake

Kerestinec Lake is situated in the vicinity of the Erdody castle, and is a great spot for recreational and sports fishing. The Som Kerestinec sports fishing society manages Kerestinec Lake. The lake is inhabited by many species of freshwater cyprinids, primarily carp, grass carp, pike, pike-perch and catfish. The fishing guard service supervises the lake.

Annual and day permits are sold in the fishing hut. Several competitions are held on the lake throughout the year. Information about fishing permits can be obtained at tel: +385 (98) 773 709.

The castle is also definitely worth a visit after the fishing is over. It has quite a history, but we will deal with that next time. Until now, enjoy the tour below. 

Of course, fishing and cycling are not for everyone, and there is certainly nothing wrong with some good old fashioned chilling by the water, yet one more relaxing experience that Sveta Nedelja offers in abundance. 

For more information about the lakes of Sveta Nedelja and other attractions and activities, check out the local tourist board website. 

For the latest TCN coverage of Sveta Nedelja, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

(The author was a guest of the Sveta Nedelja local authorities)

November 8, 2020 - Perhaps best-known as the home of Rimac Automobili, Sveta Nedelja cycling charms are attracting many out of the nearby capital, Zagreb. 

When my kids heard the itinerary, they both laughed and declared that we were DEFINITELY going. Dad - on a bike. This they had to see. 

For even though they are keen cyclists, my kids had never seen me on a bike. Some bodies are not destined for two-wheeled travel. Indeed, I had only been on a bike twice in 25 years, once when I got ambushed by a cycling group in Novi Maruf during a tour organised by Varazdin County Tourist Board, and once when Jutarnji List did a 2-page feature on the fat Englishman starting a portal to the delights of inland Dalmatia. 

I managed to stay on the bike long enough for the photoshoot in picturesque Vrlika, close to the source of the Cetina River north of Split. 

And so when the chaps from Sveta Nedelja invited me to come and visit the businesses of Croatia's most successful entrepreneurial town and also enjoy an active tourism weekend, including boating, cycling and horseriding, I wasn't personally keen, but I knew that it would be a good family experience. 

And so it proved. 

To my shame, I knew very little about Sveta Nedelja before we visited, apart from Rimac and the fact it has the most progressive and transparent local administration in Croatia. Of tourism, I had low expectations, which is probably why what I found there was the greatest surprise. 

And the cycling was fun. 

Sveta Nedelja is a municipality which is doing everything right, or so it seems from the outside. In an age of emigration, unemployment and economic depression, Croatia's youngest town has increased its population by 10% since the 2011 census, created 20% more jobs since 2017, and has an enviably low rate of unemployment at just 3.9%. Its progressive, business-friendly tax polices have slashed taxes while increasing revenues, much of which has been invested into projects to improve the lives of its citizens. I have genuinely never seen so many kindergartens in a town that size, and the imminent introduction of free buses within the municipallity is the latest progressive move. 

It also appears that active tourism is something that Sveta Nedelja is investing in, with the e-bikes provided for our visit having been purchased by the town to make them available for tourism.  The sound of e-bikes relaxed me somewhat - a lot easier to handle than a regular bike. 

There was a well-developed network of bike routes, all clearly marked in helpful info boards such as this one, with the town's lakes an obvious attraction. 

And no wonder. 

They were beautiful, and it once I got the hang of being on a bike again after all these years, it was fun to breathe in the fresh air and get immersed in total nature, just a few minutes drive from the city centre. 

There were plenty of places to stop off on the way, if you want to mix your active day with something a little more relaxing. Life at Camp Zagreb by the lake on a Sunday morning in late September. 

From the lakes to a canal leading to the River Sava.  

And on to the grasslands, with some grass paths taking us a little away from the lakes, and on to some other surprise activities. 

Clay pigeon shooting, an activity I had not tried since my schooling days, and It was interesting to watch the local hunting association in action. Even more so that the pellets were apparently biodegradable after 24 hours. 

Having watched the experts in action, we were invited to have a go. I even managed to hit my moving targets twice, AND there is a video to prove it (but of course I cannot find it at the crucial moment when I come to blog about it).  

From the local hunting association to the local fishing association and some delicious local delicacies - carp prepared the traditional way. I liked the way we cycled through different communities, who were all indulging their passions in the Great Outdoors - hunting, fishing and, of course, just chilling.  

Rather than let its tourism just happen, the Sveta Nedelja cycling offer comes with investment in addition to the paths, maps and info boards. 

One very popular example of this which is bringing cycling and boarding enthusiasts out of the countryside is the recently installed Pumptrack Sveta Nedelja.  

A little extra adrenaline rush for the experienced cyclist.  

Despite my growing confidence on my third cycling outing in a quarter of a century,  I decided to leave it to the experts.  

From cyclist to skateboarder, and sometimes the two in tandem, a nice little touch to the Sveta Nedelja cycling offer.  

 And this is how it looks through the eyes of a cyclist. 

When we initially got the bikes, I was hoping for my ordeal would be over quickly (with half an eye on the weather, hoping the promised rain would save me), but as we cycled on, touring lake after lake, I was seduced by the natural beauty of it all, and was really beginning to enjoy myself (please don't tell the kids...). Before we knew it, the light began to fade and evening descend on this exceptionally beautiful part of Zagreb country - the lights of the capital a reminder of its proximity (less than half an hour from the centre). 

It may be time to resurrect my cycling career. 

To learn more about the Sveta Nedelja cycling opportunities, check out the Sveta Nedelja Tourist Board website.

For the latest news from Sveta Nedelja, check out the dedicated TCN section. 

(The author was a guest of the Sveta Nedelja local authorities)

October 25, 2020 - Is it time to hire Croatia's electric car pioneer as a tourism consultant? Great Mate Rimac video promoting like and work in Croatia through the eyes of his employees from 35 countries. 

One of the great success stories in Croatia in these troubled economic times is undoubtedly the stunning rise of Mate Rimac and his Rimac Automobili company based in Sveta Nedelja, just outside Zagreb. A one-man company 12 years ago, today Rimac employs over 850 people from 35 countries, and his investors include some of the big names in the global car industry, such as Porsche and Hyundai. The location of his company, in Sveta Nedelja, just outside Zagreb, has possibly played a small role in the happy story - this week it was named as the best medium-sized town in Croatia for the third year in a row, as well as one of the top 5 towns in the country for quality of life. 

Working and living in Croatia. Rimac has been courted by numerous offers to move his operations to other countries, but he has always resisted. As he explains in the video, he really likes the Croatian lifestyle and living here, and he wanted to prove that one can succeed here in Croatia. 

And yesterday, his company's YouTube channel released a video featuring Rimac and many of the international staff that have moved to Croatia, which he introduced on his Facebook page as follows: 

"They said it can't be done in Croatia. Yet here we are. There are so many things I am proud of right in this video. Many of which very few people will notice. Stuff like this keeps me giving (more than) 100%."

The message of the video is excellent, at least in my opinion. Croatia, Your Safe, Authentic, Lifestyle destination is a slogan and direction we should be moving towards in our tourism thinking, and the way that so many people take for granted here what foreigners see as key selling points, are once again in evidence (this happens the world over, not just in Croatia, where a view from outside often offers a different perspective). The South African Rimac employee, for example, who was stunned to see two 16-year-old girls walking home alone at 2am in Zagreb. That simply would not happen back home. 

As one would expect with a Rimac product, it is beautifully produced, and it combines traditional tourism classic shots with a comprehensive overview of why Croatia is a great place to work and live through his eyes and a number of his international team. 

Great stuff, mose please...  

Croatia might not be the first place you would think of as home to a company designing, engineering, and manufacturing electric hypercars and high-performance EV technology. Nevertheless, we're proudly growing a real innovation and engineering hub in Sveta Nedelja, on the outskirts of Zagreb. Rimac family is 850-people strong and counting. Our employees come from more than 35 different countries! Knowing that moving out here is a bold decision, we've asked a few of them how they find life and work here. Here's hoping you fall in love with Croatia as much as we did, and join us here:

00:12 Why is Rimac based in Croatia

01:39 Overview and location

02:08 What Croatia offers

02:51 Language

03:31 Food culture

04:10 Prices and standard of living

04:40 Mindset

05:07 Getting here: documentation

05:40 Finding a job for your partner

05:46 Accommodation and commuting

06:47 Croatian culture

07:12 Croatian women

07:33 Safety

08:25 Christmas market in Zagreb

09:12 Traveling and activities in Croatia

10:18 Working in Rimac

12:36 Growing startup culture

For the latest news from Mate Rimac, follow the dedicated TCN section.  

October 21, 2020 – Among 28 nominated cities in the categories of quality of life, economy, and education and demographic policy, 10 of them received the award and the title as the best cities in Croatia.

As we already reported yesterday, Sveta Nedelja was named as the best city in the economy category for the third year in a row and is among the top five best Croatian cities for quality of life. Gradonačelnik.hr emphasizes the fact that Sveta Nedelja is the only city that managed to beat the competition three times in a row and win the title of the best city for the economy in the country. Besides the great success of this perspective city in Zagreb County, it is also worth mentioning other Croatian cities that excelled in this election.

The best cities in the category of the economy are also Hvar and Samobor. In the category of demography and education Cres, Labin, and Šibenik won, and in the category of all categories – the quality of life – the best Croatian cities are Krk, Rovinj, and Čakovec. The champion of the EU funds is Virovitica.

As many as four Croatian cities – Labin, Cres, Krk, and the already mentioned Sveta Nedelja – managed to defend the title of the best in our selection this year.

Four out of ten winning cities come from Istria and Primorje-Gorski Kotar Counties, but those counties also had the biggest number of nominated cities and nominations in all mentioned categories. Recall, eight cities of Istria County were competing with as many as 14 nominations, and Primorje-Gorski Kotar Counties were following with its six cities and nine nominations.

This year's selection for the best Croatian cities was held in Zagreb on Tuesday, and it has been successfully organized for the third year in a row by the Gradonačelnik.hr portal, Jutarnji list, and the Ipsos agency. Unfortunately, due to the situation with the coronavirus pandemic, a large number of finalists, and even winners, did not attend the award ceremony.

Unlike previous years, this year the Smart and Eco City categories were separated into a special selection, which is still ongoing, but a new category was introduced – the best county EU project.

Counties also received awards

After the public chose their favourite through online voting – the project PISMO of Sisak-Moslavina County and their agency SIMORA – the expert jury chose the winners in four categories. Virovitica-Podravina County with its project Be STEMpatičan! (Be STEMpathetic) is selected as the winner in the Contribution to the science and innovation category.

In the category Contribution to the local and regional community, the best project was NEWLIGHT of Krapina-Zagorje and Zagreb counties, ie the Regional Energy Agency of Northwestern Croatia (REGEA). Second place in the public selection, Mala Barka 2 of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County won in the category Contributions to cross-border cooperation, and Split-Dalmatia County won in the category of Contribution to entrepreneurship with the project Sustainable growth of small and medium enterprises with emphasis on cultural and creative industries.

Project PISMO Novska of Sisak-Moslavina County / PISMO

October 20, 2020 - Good things are happening just outside Zagreb - Sveta Nedelja best town for the economy for the third year in a row AND 5th best for quality of life. Have you visited?

I only visited for the first time last month, but am already planning my return. 

A town I thought for a long time was the home of Rimac Automobili and little else. 

How wrong I was, as I discovered on that first visit. Learn more in Sveta Nedelja Beyond Rimac: Jobs, Innovation, Nature, Population Growth.

In an era of emigration and economic crisis, here is a small town of 20,000 people (up 10% on the 2011 census of 18,000), where the number of jobs has increased by 20% (from 7,200 to 9,000) in just three years, and unemployment is way below the national average at 3.9%. It has been run since 2017 by a young team of independent and progressive people, who have made Sveta Nedelja the most transparent administration in Croatia, with taxes slashed and where free buses will soon be introduced. 

Those impressive numbers have been recognised once again, as Sveta Nedelja Mayor Dario Zurovec proudly announced on Facebook that his town has not only been named the best medium-sized town in Croatia for the economy for the third year in a row, but also in the top five for quality of life:

Sveta Nedelja - the best city for the economy for the third year in a row!

For the third year in a row, the town of Sveta Nedelja has received the award for the best town for the economy in the Republic of Croatia in the category of medium-sized town. I would like to emphasize that this year we are among the 5 BEST TOWNS FOR QUALITY OF LIFE in Croatia.

This award shows that nothing is accidental. Being the best for three years in a row is the best indicator of our mutual success and desire for excellence. I am very proud of the results we have achieved and I would like to thank our hardworking entrepreneurs and craftsmen, our residents, the city administration, the City Council and others who have contributed to this success, regardless of the difficult year. Sveta Nedelja is the best choice for smart business and a comfortable life.

Among those endorsing Sveta Nedelja was its most famous resident entrepreneur, Mate Rimac (Sveta Nedelja translates as 'Holy Sunday'). 

You can learn more about the town and its economic successes in the video below. As for quality of life, I must confess that I have never seen so many kindergartens in a town of that size during my visit. The close proximity of Zagreb, the border to Slovenia, and the national motorway network, make it a great location, but its lakes and natural beauty offer a true escape to nature just 30 minutes from the city centre (and with that free transport imminent to connect you to the Zagreb network). 

If you are looking for a place to live or work with a mindset firmly focused on Croatia 2.0, look no further. Congratulations to all involved in this success, one that we intend to monitor and report on as it continues. 

Read more: Camp Zagreb, Natural Lakeside Heaven a Short Connection to the City.

For the latest from Sveta Nedelja, follow the dedicated TCN section.